Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1887-07-23
currants should produce paying crop
the third year after setting out. Rasp-

the third year after setting out. Rasp-
berries and blackberries will produce q
paying crop the second year after setting,
and strawberries the first year."
When growing pears for market, the
same rules should be followed as IN
growing apples. and we should come
down to those varieties that are known
and will readily sell. There is little use
in growing the early summer varieties.
Even if they mature well, when they are
grown for family use, we don't want more
than half Of a tree for any one year. One
half Of a decent sized pear tree VIII sup
ply any family with all they can eat while
the bears will keep. We do not want to
give our ground to varieties that are OF
little use.
In regard to small fruits, they should
be grown not only by the farmer, but
also by mechanics, and by every mar who
has a sufficient plot of land about his
house to grow small fruits on, because
they are so necessary 10 good health, ana
they are the cheapest food that can be
provided for the table. They Will afford
the most comfort and the most enjoy
ment IN the family and to friends, and at
the same time they are one Of the most at
t~ractive and profitable features you can
have connected with the homestead.
Now, l fully believe that everybody
| should have fresh fruits on the table all
through their season. But as a farm
product, these small fruits may be most
protitably introduced over a very con-
siderable section of Massachusetts,.
Wherever a farm is situated near a town
Of from 5000 to 5000 inhabitants, or Is
near a city, small fruits may be very
protitably cultivated, and may be made to
show Il very respectable amount on the
farmers balance sheet at the close Of the
year. They require more hand labor and
more care, both i'll growing and market
ing than the larger fruits, but the guam
tity hat may-b be grown, and the demand
that there is for them, a constantly in
crcasing demand, makes them a profitable
crop for farmers to grow under those con-
dltions.
Perhaps the strawberry is more gener-
ally in demand as Il marketable article
than other varieties of small fruits. If it
can be grown as our Arlington growers
grow it, it would be one of the most
profitable crops for farmers. They grow
it for one year in the bed, with the rows
four feet apart, and the plant eight inches
apart in the row. They put in a crop of
early vegetables between the rows. After
this crop is taken off, they allow the run
ncrs Of the strawberry to run over the
ground, and in the ncAt year they pick a
crop OF strawberries. Then they take the
vines up and PIT out a crop of celery, or
some other late plant, thus growing three
crops in two years on the same ground.
'ryo F,r,,,,, ,,bo loo ,lo,ty 81 .,,,,,I o,)
can prepare it for setting ont the plants
four feet apart in a row and then can let
them remain until he has raised two crops
from them. can get about t~hrcc-quarters
as many Strawberries the second year as
he can the first year. And the falling
off in the crop will be offset by what he
saves IN not taking up a new piece of
ground. ) After the crop has been grown
for one year, and the berries have been
taken off, the roots can be cut through
Crossways so as to leave the plants in
beds three feet wide, leaving a path of
one foot wild between them. After the
second year the grass and weeds and
roots will come. in SO much as to make it
! cost more than 1t is worth to keep them
out. Then the best plan is to plough up
the whole thing and not try to raise them
more than two years IN one place.
There Is no crop a farmer can grow
with a return Of SO much money for so
small an expenditure for fertilizer us the
apple. Twill ask any farmer to state any
other crop that Will produce as much
money to the acre, under ordinary circum-
stances as,the apple, that requires S
small an amount of expenditure to ferti-
lie the land upon which the trees stand.
1t is a biennial crop. The trees take
every other year. to ~recupcrate, and if you
don't rob the land too severely by grow
ing Il grass crop over the roots Of those
trees, it will require comparatively little
expenditure for tertllizing to give you
good marketable fruits. But the best
marketable fruit cannot be grown if YOU
cover the roots of the trees with grass.
This is the case always, | believe, except
where the trees receive the wash from
buildings or yards or highways. But if
by light pluughiDg in the spring. after
you have got through planting your other
crops, and by occasionally running over
the ground with the harrow, you keep it
light and stirred up, you will give the
roots the benefit of the rain and the dew
and the air. aud so if there is any
fertility in the soil YOU will get good
marketable fruit, which may be grown
with a very slight expenditure for
fertilizers.
Strengthening Crooked Limbs.
Is there any mcaus of STRENGTHENING